The most impressive thing about Prudential RideLondon was the organisation. Having the space to manoeuvre on the roads was key, and the staggering of the starters was done very well.

I managed to keep momentum, even with stops and things. I was at the back end of a group and I would loiter with intent and make the most of the slipstream.

By the time we reached London again I was flying – quicker than I’ve ever managed – along Embankment. I did feel a little sorry for some of the fancy-dress wearers, though. There were these two chaps in particular who were wearing pink costumes and cowboy hat helmets. I bet they were regretting it after about five miles. Everyone was pinching their bottoms on the way past.

The selling point for me was nearly 20,000 people riding out for 100 miles. I can see this being like the London Marathon; it is a great thing to do with a group of friends.

Charles Starmer-Smith – Head of Travel, Telegraph Media Group

(5,06,43)

I did not do much training, but had a crash course in the last couple of weeks and it seemed to pay off. I was pretty pleased with my time of 5.06.43 and put it down to a bit of muscle memory, having done the l’Étape du Tour three years ago. This was much better organised, and less uphill.

The staggered starts were particularly well done, and it meant that there were no bottlenecks, as there were in France.

The support all the way around was superb, and certainly coming into London for the final stretch the cheering made me feel like a minor celebrity and gave everyone an extra 20 per cent when we were exhausted. It was great going out at the Olympic Park, though I did make the mistake of following James Cracknell’s wheel, and before too long I realised I was in slightly elevated company.

The course was fantastic and allowed me to see the capital in a different light and – especially without traffic – was a great way to take in the surroundings.

I can see Prudential RideLondon being as big as the London Marathon in a few years – it provides the same atmosphere. For me personally it will become a fixture.

Sally Gunnell – Olympic and world 400m hurdles champion and television presenter

(5,40,28)

I was very apprehensive going in to Prudential RideLondon as I had not been able to train in the weeks before due to a neck issue. I was worried I would be rusty and particularly concerned about scaling Box Hill and Leith Hill.

Spirits were high, though, and the atmosphere was incredible – much like at the London Marathon.

We were going at a reasonable speed up until the hills and I was actually relieved to find that they were not as monstrous as I had initially feared. That meant that I could build up speed afterwards, with about 30 miles to go.

I really did enjoy the challenge. It was my first mass-participation road event and one of the best things about it – aside from the excellent organisation – is that it doesn’t hurt your joints.

Cycling is fantastic for stomach muscles and your core, and for those people who have never really done any fitness activity before it is a great sport. The enjoyment factor – helped by great views throughout – is phenomenal.

Prudential RideLondon was tremendously good fun. I had predicted that I would get round the 100-mile course in about 6.30, so I was pleased to beat that with 6.16.02.

I was tired, though. Next year I’ll do more training – the two 60-mile practice runs I did were broken up by cups of tea at friends’ houses, so I was found out a little bit during the ride back into London, when it felt as though I was treading water.

Next time around I’ll aim to be under six hours. There were plenty of amusing moments, not least when we had ascended Box Hill and one Yorkshire man said loudly: “Where I’m from this would constitute a speed bump.” And there were lots of fancy-dress outfits.

I can really see Prudential RideLondon becoming a big focal point in the London diary, and I look forward to trying to beat my time – although I’ll have to take my training a little more seriously.

Alan Smith – former England football international and Telegraph Sport columnist

(6,56,40)

I have great memories though I must say I found it really hard going at times – and that was because I had not done enough training.

I hit a couple of psychological walls, showing that you can’t get away with not putting the miles in. But there was no way I wasn’t finishing. While I just managed to scrape inside seven hours, with 6.56.40, next year I’m aiming to beat five hours.

The amount of people who came to cheer us all on was staggering – even in the little Surrey villages, families were watching from their deckchairs.

Cycling through London and not having to stop for cars was brilliant and I think Prudential RideLondon could become even bigger than the London Marathon.

There is such a big appetite for cycling in the UK, cycling clubs have mushroomed in the past couple of years. People talk about the Olympic legacy and I think that this event is a huge part of it. I’ll just have to make sure I train harder for next year.

Liane Farrer – Telegraph reader and competition winner

(6,59,15)

I was so pleased to finish just inside seven hours. Having won my place in Team Telegraph, I had no real target time beforehand.

Three weeks before I did the 55-mile London to Brighton ride and that took me almost six hours, so I was delighted not to get swept up. On the downhill parts, after Box Hill and Leith Hill, we were able to enjoy a real sense of speed without having to watch out for vehicles.

And seeing crowds of people cheering us on – even in some remote areas – felt great, a bit like the Tour de France. Going along The Mall at the end I began to cry with happiness.

I’ll certainly be doing Prudential RideLondon again, and I’m now thinking of joining a cycling club. I’ll be trying to encourage more women to take part in this event next year, too: of nearly 20,000 participants only one in four was female.

Ambassadors such as Sally Gunnell and Laura Trott will really help inspire more women.

Front-runners: Team Telegraph at the start of the RideLondon 100

RideLondon review

FreeCycle (Saturday, August 3, 9am-4pm)

More than 50,000 riders took to the streets of London to make the most of an eight-mile, traffic-free course through the capital – including Martin Johnson, who led the world-record attempt for longest line of bikes.

Grand Prix (Saturday, August 3, 5pm-7.45pm)

Some of the very best riders in the world participated in the three events, on a fast, 1.3-mile loop around St James’s Park. Women followed Handcycle and Youths A/B races, and Great Britain’s golden girl Laura Trott, a double Olympic champion, won the main event.

Classic (Sunday, August 4, 12.45pm-6pm)

About 150 of the world’s top professional male cyclists fought it out for the inaugural Classic crown. Ranked at the 1.1 level by the UCI, the sport’s governing body, the 140-mile Prudential Ride-London-Surrey Classic featured 25 teams of six riders and was won by Frenchman – and FDJ rider – Arnaud Démare.